Caster.



M; B. SGHBNCK, DBCD. w. Ifsoamox, ExmUTon.

GASTER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 27, 1912.

1,022,800. I Patented Apr.9, 1912.

g UNITED STATES SCI-IENCK, EXECUTOR, MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE M. B.

SCHENCK COMPANY, OFy MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPOIIEtA'lIONv OIE CON-V NECTICUT.

' CASTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1912. Serial `No.k 673,828.

To all whom t may concern v residing at Meriden, in the county lof New Haven, State of Connecticut, did invent a new and useful Improvement in Casters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements, in casters for metal beds and the like, and has for its object to produce a caster which will be securely held within a hollow leg by spring pressure, being centered thereink so as to relieve the holding spring from undue pressure due to lateral stress, said casters supporting the hollow leg and being provided with a spring `frame whose upper end embraces the pintle,` and. whose arms` engage the upper end of the centering frame so as to reinforce the spring action at the bottom of the spring frame, the expansive and compressive movement of the spring being thus limited.

The following is a description of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l shows a planview of the caster.

Fig. 2 shows a. side elevation of the same,v

with the hollow leg indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 shows a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l is a hollow le@ shown in dots.

2 is a supporting plate or disk upon which the leg lrests. 3 is a caster pintle carrying the yoke 4, in which is mounted the caster wheel 5 in the ordinary manner. Said disk 2, when the caster is in use, rests upon the boss 6 so as to be supported thereby.

7 is a centering frame preferably made of sheet metal in the form of an inverted U and having tongues 8 passing through slots 9 in the disk 2 and bent over so as to secure the frame 7 tothe disk. The frame 7 is provided with a lperforation in its upper end, through which the pintle 3 passes, and the pintle 1s swaged so as to form a flange 10 near its upper end, which holds the pintle to the frame 7. The frame i is provided with openings in the center of its ends adjacent to the disk 2, through which a spring frame 1 1 closed at its lower end passes, as shown in Figs. l2 and 3. This spring frame has a bend 12, which partially encircles the pintle 3 adjacent to the disk 2 and is provided with two upright bulging arms, which at their upper ends are provided with loops 13-14, which encircle the upper end of the pintle 34 above the frame 7. These loops are somewhat elongated, so as to loosely embrace the pintle and permit theupper endsivof the arms ofthe spring ll to have a movement of expansion and` compression. In Fig. l, they are shownin full lines in compressed position. In Fig. 2,

.they are shown in full Llines in expanded position, and in dotted lines in compressed posit-ion. The Vupper ends of the arms of the spring 11 are preferably made so as toembrace the pintle 3 loosely and above the upper end of the frame 7. Thelower ends of the bulgingarms are connected by the portion12, so that the spring frame has a permanently closed lower end adjacentwo the supporting disk y2. The upper end of the framem7 is slightly indented at 15-15, sofas to assist in retaining the spring l1 in position, and permit the bends at the upper end of the spring to be made less abrupt.

0"With this construction the caster 4is inserted and removed as with the various types of metal bed casters heretofore in use, that is, the caster isforced into the hollow leg, the spring 11 being compressed by such action, and when the caster is in place the spring 11 holds it in position by frictionally engaging the inner surfaces of the tubular leg, the leg itself resting upon the supporting disk 2. The caster is centered by the engagement of the four corners of the centering frame 7 with the inner sides of the leg so as to relieve the spring from undue pressure. In this way the centering is secured entirely independent of the retaining spring 11, thereby producing a caster which is strong and efficient and not liable tobe injuredY in use. The upper ends of the spring 11 bear against the pintle, as shown in Fig. l, when the caster is in use, thus reinforcing the spring action at the lower end of the spring frame, the forcing of the caster into the leg tending to straighten the bowed arms of the spring. This spring action vin some instances is also reinforced by the engagement of the arms with the bottom of the recesses l5 at the top of the centering frame.

The invention, as will be evident to those Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

skilled in the art, permits of modifications which will embody the spirit thereof Without departing from the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

That I claim as the invent-ion of said Man'rlN B. SCHENGK is:

l. In a caster, the combination of a caster Wheel, yoke and pintle with a supporting disk surrounding said pintle, a centering frame secured to said disk and adapted to engage the inner surface of a tubular leg, said pintle having its upper end passing through said frame and engaged thereby, and a spring frame having its lower end adjacent to said disk and its upper end embracing said pintle.

2. In a caster, the combination of a caster Wheel, yoke and pintle with a Supporting disk surrounding' said pintle, a centering frame secured to said disk, said pintle having its upper end passing through said frame and engaged thereby, and a spring frame having a closed end adjacent to said disk and its upper end embracing said pint-le above the top of said centering frame.

3. In a caster, the combination of a caster Wheel, yoke and pintle with a supporting disk surrounding said pintle, a centering frame secured to said disk, said pintle having its upper end passing through said frame and engaged thereby, and a spring frame having a closed end adjacent to said disk and tWo independently movable arms embracing said pintle above the top of said centering frame.

4. In a caster, the combination of a caster Wheel, yoke and pintle with a supporting d-isk surrounding said pintle, an inverted U-shaped centering frame secured to said disk, said pintle having its upper end passing through said frame and engaged thereby, and a spring frame having a closed end adjacent to said disk and tivo independently movable arms loosely embracing said pintle said spring frame extending through notches located in the lower ends of the arms of said centering frame and adjacent to said disk.

5. In a caster, the combina-tion of a caster Wheel, yoke and pintle with a supporting disk surrounding said pintle, an inverted U- shaped centering frame secured to said disk, said pintle having its upper end passing through said frame and engaged thereby, and a spring frame having a closed end adjacent to said disk and two independently movable arms embracing said pintle above said centering frame, said spring frame eX- tending through notches located in the lower ends of the arms of said centering frame and adjacent to said disk and having its lower end partially surrounding said pintle, said' centering frame having notches at its upper end Which receive the upper ends of the arms of said spring frame.

VILLIAM A. SCHENCK, Eecator of the will of lll'artz'nchencr.

Witnesses:

MABEL E. SEARLEs, EMMA CURRIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.J 

